Evaluation of efficacy, efficiency and effectiveness of community projects of visual health in the population of the amazon riversides

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of eye diseases in the Amazon region and evaluate the efficacy, efficiency and effectiveness of community projects of visual health in underserved communities. METHODS: Retrospective, observational and ecological study, which covers the underserved communities of the Brazilian Amazon by the Amazon Project Vision 2000. The data were retrieved from a total sample of 1,276 patients. A questionnaire was applied to patients with 22 questions divided into general and health data. All patients were submitted to a complete eye examination. All project data were stored in a database for later evaluation. RESULTS: Of the 1,276 patients evaluated, 65% were female, 51.9% said they had never had an eye examination and 91% believed to have some visual problem. Emmetropia was detected in 3.8% and 47.2% had presbyopia. Cataract (16.2%) and pterygium (23.6%) were the prevalent diseases. During the project, cataract surgeries were performed in 27.6% and pterygium in 6.9% of patients. When asked why they had not operated before, 24.1% said they had no financial conditions and 55.2% because there was no specialized doctor nearby. CONCLUSION: Refractive errors, pterygium and cataract were the most common ocular findings in the population evaluated. The Amazon Project Vision 2000 provided the equipment and resources for the activities proposed, reaching the pre-defined goal.